Treatment of tobacco.



No. 877,698. PATENTED JAN. 28, 1908. A. C. dz G. Q. BEDORTHA. TREATMENT 0F TOBACCO.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1B, 1906.

m. M y@ UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE. y

ALFRED C. BEDORTHA AND GEORGE Q. BEDORTHA, OF WINDSOR, CONNECTICUT.'

TREATMENT OF TOBACCO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan; 28, 1908.

Application filed August 18- 1906 Serial No. 331-152.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALFRED C. BEDOETHA and GEORGE Q. BEDORTHA, citizensof the UnitedStates, residing at Windsor, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut,

have mvented a new and useful Treatment of Tobacco, of which the following is aspeci-l fication.

This invention relates to a bacteriological treatment of tobacco whereb leaves having an inferior or less esteemed avor are given another and more desirable flavor.

In order to attain the desired object it is first necessary to kill all the spores and bacteria originally existing on the leaves without lmpairing the texture or otherwise deleteriously affecting the leaves, after which the sterile` leaves are supplied with such species of bacteria or cultures thereof as will impart the avor craved, and then subjected to fermentation.

The present improvement relates more particularly to the steps which accomplish a complete and satisfactory sterilization of the leaves, in order that the bacteria which affect the final flavor may not be re-acted upon, deteriorated or degenerated by any o the original bacteria. In practicing this treatment leaves or bunches of tobacco leaves are loosened up, first by shaking and then by drying, after which they are placed inA a sterilizer and fumigated with formaldehyde, then heated to remove all trace of the sterilizing medium, then supplied with the active bacteria cultures which control the final flavor or bouquet, and afterwards fermented. This treatment may be carried on by various forms of apparatus.

The accompanying drawing shows a sectional elevation of one form of apparatus which may be used for the purpose;

The, hands or bunches of tobacco are shaken up as much as they can be safely to separate and loosen the folded leaves. They cannot be completely separated and unfolded by shaking without danger of damaging them, but it is necessaryr that they should be entirely separated and unfolded in order that the sterilizing medium may penetrate the folds 5o and come in contact with the entire surface of every leaf. To accomplish the necessary separation the shaken leaves may be loosely laid on racks and placed in a chamber or kiln and dried by currents of Warm air -until the free moisture is expelled and evaporated and the folds of the leaves opened, or if desired the bunches of leaves 1 maybe laid on arack 2 car- -ried by a truck 3 and rolled into a chamber 4 is s hown as connected with the air cylinder 5 of a steam vacuum and circulating pump, by pipes 6 and`7, one of which may pass through or open into a heater 8 that may be kept at the desired temperature by steam from any convenient source. With this apparatus air may be heated and circulated thoroughly dry.

Water jacket 9. This is shown as connected der 12 of the pump. One of these pipes may pass through or open into a hot well 13 that may beheated in any convenientmanner. By these means the temperature in the chamdegree.

After the leaves have opened sufficiently to permit a freecirculation of air and gas between them, formaldehyde is introduced into the chamber. This may be .accomplished by turning the three-Way cock 14 so through the pipe 7 and open the discharge of the vacuum cylinder to the atmosphere. Then when the pump is operated. air will be withdrawn from the chamber. After the chamber has been exhausted sufficiently to create, say about a 20 inch or more vacuum, formaldehyde may be allowed to enter the chamber from a tank 15 that is connected with the pipe 7 by opening the valve 16. This will allow the vformaldehyde to flow or I be drawn from the tank intoA the partially exhausted chamber. When a suitable volpenetrate into the spaces between theleaves and -into the pockets caused by the folding About the exterior' of l' the chamber is aber may be kept uniformly at the required ume of formaldehyde, equal perhaps to 10 and crumpling of the leaves, it can if desired which can be tightlyclosed. This chamber l through the chamber until the leaves are by pipes 10 and 1 1 with the circulating cylinas to close communication with the chamber the pump. To assist the formaldehyde to l When the tobacco 1s thoroughl sterilized the sterilizing medium is drawn o Durin this time the tobacco is Vpreferabl heate so as to facilitate the removal. o effect this the tobacco may be placed in a kiln or may beleft in the sterilizin chamber and hot air circulated through the chamber b the pump. After all traces of the formadehyde have been removed the leaves are supplied by spraying or otherwise With the bacteria or cultures of the bacteria, which after fermentation Will impart to the leaves the characteristics necessar to produce the aroma or bouquet desire and then the leaves are fermented in the usual Way.

The first drying of the leaves causes the folds to open without breaking and evaporates the moisture so that the formaldehyde can act quickly and surely upon every part of every leaf. e

Formaldehyde a plied to the leaves in this manner will kill al the original bacteria and spores Without deleteriously affecting the final flavor which the tobacco has after the application of the prepared bacteria, and the heating of the tobacco as described Will not destroy the texture or injure the leaves.

The invention claimed is 1. The treatment of tobacco, which consists in dr ing the leaves for se arating them and expel ing free moisture an then sterilizing the same by subjecting the dried and opened leaves to the action of formaldehyde V under pressure higher than atmospheric pressure. v

2. The treatment of tobacco Which consists in drying the leaves for separatingthem and expelling free moisture, t en sterlllzm the same by subjecting the dried and opene leaves to the action of formaldehyde, and subjecting the sterilized leaves to current of heated air for driving olf the sterilizing medium.

3. The treatment of tobacco Which consists in dr ing the leaves for separating them and expelling free moisture, subjecting the dried and opened leaves to the action of formaldehyde, subjecting the sterilized leaves to current of heated air for driving off the sterilizing medium, and supplying the leaves with cultures of selected bacteria.

4. The treatment of tobacco kwhich consists in drying the leaves for separating them and expelling free moisture, exhaustmg air fromthe dried and opened leaves and subjecting the leaves in the artial vacuum to the action of formaldehy e.l

5. The treatment of tobacco which lconsists in drying the leaves for separating them and expelling free moisture, exhausting air from the dried and opened leaves, subjecting the leaves in the partial vacuum to the action of formaldehyde and adding air to the formaldehyde and at the same time circulating the air and the formaldehyde about the leaves. j

6. The treatment of tobacco which consists in thoroughly drying the leaves, exhausting air from the leaves, subjecting the leaves in the partial vacuum to the action of formaldehyde, subjecting the leaves yto currents of heated air, and supplying cultures of selected bacteria to the sterile leaves.

Witnesses:

CHAs. T.WELCH, GEORGE R. MAUDE. 

